1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for joining an internal combustion engine with a means for transporting the engine from a van or similar vehicle to allow servicing of the engine at a site remote to the vehicle, and, more particularly, to such an apparatus to rigidly interconnect the engine with a crane of the type having a boom supported by a mobile base for movement about the floor or a work area.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known in the art to use a wheeled crane having a boom that can be moved by a hydraulically actuated piston and cylinder assembly to lift an internal combustion engine from the engine compartment of passenger type vehicles. To accommodate the use of the crane, the hood of the vehicle is first removed and a lifting-pulling tool or an engine sling is joined to the engine after the engine mounts and hoses, cables and other structures have been disconnected from the engine to allow its removal. Thereupon, the engine, usually with the transmission intact, can be removed as a unit from the engine compartment. After the engine is serviced it can be replaced in the engine compartment by reversing the removal procedure. A problem, however, exists when it is necessary to service an internal combustion engine for a van and motor home of the type identified as Class A with a flat front end or Class C with a van front end. Such van or motor home vehicles are designed to place the engine beneath the cowl panel such that a forward portion of the engine projects forwardly of the cowl panel and is accessible from a small hoodlike covering when compared with the hood of a conventional passenger car. The rotational axis of the crank shaft is orientated parallel with the direction of movement of the vehicle along the highway and a rear portion of the engine projects partly into the passenger compartment where a covering is attached to the floor and the cowling to isolate and divide the engine compartment from the passenger compartment. A drive shaft extends rearwardly of the transmission at the rear end of the engine for supplying power to drive the rear wheels. A van of the type of this discussion is not a front wheel drive van where the engine is transversely mounted in the engine compartment in a way that the crankshaft rotates about an axis perpendicular to the movement of the van along a highway.
When it is necessary to remove the engine, a van orientated such that the crank shaft rotates about an axis parallel with the movement of the vehicle along the highway, it is not possible to gain sufficient clearance between the top of the engine and the cowl to allow access for the engine hoist boom in the past, it was necessary to disassemble components form the top of the engine to allow sufficient clearance for entrance of the boom between the cowling and the engine as well as clearance to allow lifting the engine free and clear from the engine mounts before extracting the engine from the engine compartment. Typically, the distance from the top of the engine to the cowl panel is approximately eight inches. Usually, twelve inches is necessary, which includes four inches of vertical space to lift the engine free and clear of the engine mounts; four inches to accommodate the height of the boom and at least an additional four inches to accommodate the aggregate height of the hook and chain connecting the boom to the engine. In the past, when it was necessary to remove the engine for servicing, it was necessary to partially disassemble the components which included the necessary removal of throttle body, intake manifold, alternator, power steering, air conditioning compressor, etc. (including the drive belts!). Of special significance is the fact that when the intake manifold is to be removed, there is a serious ever present danger of spilling of the coolant and/or oil on the carpet located in the passenger compartment of the van because the manifold can only be removed via the passenger compartment. When the manifold is unbolted and separated from the engine block, the coolant and oil cannot be removed from the manifold before the manifold is removed from the vehicle.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus to allow removal of an engine from a van or similar vehicle that will reduce the time and labor cost and allow the return of the engine to the engine compartment as a fully assembled unit ready for operation after reconnection of fluid supply and control lines.